Disposable absorbent diapers configured to be donned like pants, in that to be donned they are pulled on over a wearer's feet and up the legs rather than wrapped directly about and fastened at the wearer's lower torso like an infant diaper, have been in the market for a number of years. Such products are often marketed as “training pants” intended for children who are walking, beginning to develop independence and dress themselves, and learning to control their bodily functions so that they can transition out of diapers and into underwear. Such training pants or diaper pants provide a toilet-training child with an underwear-like garment that he or she can learn to don himself or herself in the same manner as underpants, providing a new sense of accomplishment and independence, while still providing protection against accidents. Similar articles are marketed in larger sizes and intended for older children experiencing childhood enuresis, or adults experiencing incontinence.
Currently marketed designs of diaper pants are constructed from a rectangular or hourglass-shaped precursor chassis having a liquid impermeable, garment-facing backsheet, a liquid permeable, wearer-facing topsheet, and an absorbent core between the backsheet and the topsheet. The chassis of the typical design has front and rear waist regions and a crotch region between the waist regions, and respective front and rear pairs of side panels formed of a laterally, elastically stretchable and contractible stretch laminate, extending from each of the waist regions, with the respective front and rear side panels on each side then joined together at side seams to form a pant-like structure. The side panels provide for elastic hoop-wise expansion of the article to allow it to be pulled over body contours while being donned, and elastic hoop-wise contraction to hold the article comfortably and securely in place while being worn by a wearer.
In view of the importance of disposable diaper pants, methods of manufacturing and assembling the same should be improved.